The present disclosure relates generally to systems for shielding and/or attenuating radiation generated by a scanning device (e.g., an x-ray scanning device, etc.). More particularly, the present disclosure relates to systems for shielding and/or attenuating radiation generated by a scanning device used to monitor, inspect and/or treat food products, such as meat.
Analysis of objects using radiation scanning devices has become increasingly important in recent years. For example, scanning devices are used in airports, schools, government buildings and the like to detect potentially dangerous devices and/or contraband contained within packages, baggage, briefcases, purses, etc. Such scanning devices are capable of detecting the presence of explosives or other prohibited items. Scanning devices are also used in industry to monitor, inspect and/or treat various production products. One category of production products for which inspection is especially important is food products.
It may be desirable to monitor and/or control various food properties including, but not limited to, weight, temperature, amount of contaminants, nutrient levels, fat levels, and/or carbohydrate levels. This is especially true with respect to meat products or foods which contain animal-originating meat components. Meat products must be carefully inspected to ensure that the meat has the desired properties. Such properties include but are not limited to weight of the meat, meat yield (i.e., percentage of fat verses percentage of lean), meat tenderness, the effective atomic number of the meat, and the amount of contamination.
Scanning devices are based on the principle that a primary radiation beam is affected by the various components of the objects being scanned in distinct, measurable ways. In general, a primary radiation beam is directed at the object being scanned. The primary radiation beam passes through the object to ultimately impinge upon one or more sensors. A certain percentage of the radiation energy is absorbed by the object. The amount of energy absorbed depends on the density and atomic number of the object. As a result, the detected radiation attenuation provides an indication of the absorbed energy on the irradiated objects. Due to the absorbed energy being relative to the atomic number, it can be used in the object discrimination process.
While radiation is a valuable tool for applications wherein objects are being monitored, inspected and/or treated, the use of radiation may require certain safeguards due to the hazards associated therewith. Scanning devices not only expose an object to radiation, but often expose people near the scanning device (e.g., operators, technicians, baggage handlers, security personnel, etc.) to radiation (e.g., primary beam, secondary or scatter radiation, etc.). Although the amount of radiation exposure that people near the scanning device receive during a single scan may not be harmful, people near the scanning device for a number of such scans may suffer damage due to the cumulative effect of radiation. Accordingly there continues to be a need to provide improved radiation attenuation for scanning devices.